Event Details

Webinar co-hosted by ARMA and the Universities Policy Engagement Network

Many institutions regularly undertake research and consultancy work for local and central government departments and other agencies and public bodies. Increasingly they are also seeking to understand more about how these organisations work and how they can work with them to influence research agendas and funding opportunities and deliver societal benefits or ‘impact’. However there has been a growing recognition that there is often inequality of access and opportunity for some academics to engage in this way and that there are historical and structural factors that make it more difficult for some academics to engage. A reliance on going to the ‘usual suspects’ for evidence and advice to inform policy can lead to a lack of diversity of perspective and insight within the policy process.

This interactive webinar will cover a brief overview of how the UK Parliament and Government uses research and opportunities for researchers to engage with these institutions, but will focus mainly on some of the initiatives being developed to diversify the community of researchers who work with them.

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Understand some of the ways academics can engage with Government and Parliament
• Understand some of the challenges relating to working with government and parliament, particularly in relation to issues of diversity and inclusion
• Understand more about how universities, UK government departments and parliament are addressing issues of diversity and inclusion within policy engagement practice.

Target Audience

This workshop will be of interest to any research manager who is interested in finding out more about:

• how national government and Parliament use research
• how institutions might engage with them, particularly in promoting opportunities to do so to a more diverse range of researchers